Flashover
by RUCrazy
Summary: Troy has had an emotional couple of years. He is now a firefighter at Engine Co.71 and trying to heal his broken and somber heart. His friends are supportive, but only a girl he met on duty can really make the difference.
1. Chapter 1

**FLASHOVER**

**_The sudden ignition of all flammable material in a room or structure. As the fire burns and heat is generated and stored in the room on fire, it is possible for the heat to accumulate faster than it can use fuel. Once this reaches critical mass, the heat then turns all the flammables in a room into fuel at one time. The danger is that this causes an inversion of the thermal layers because the new fuel is almost always near the floor. Despite superb protective gear, a firefighter has less than two seconds to evacuate a room that has a flashover._**

**Disclaimer****—This story is fresh from my mind and no where else. Hope you enjoy it! Please comment. Thanks.**

Gabriella could hear the blaring sirens from a distance starting to sound closer. She was nervous but relieved that help was on its way.

"Just lay still Daddy, Helps is almost here. I can hear them getting closer." Gabriella panted as she held her fathers cold weak hand tightly in hers as he laid clutching his chest and struggling to breathe.

"Gabbie….I can't…take…it." Carlos Montez gasped as he stared into Gabriella's eyes almost pleading with her to make the pain stop.

"Daddy, hold on! You're going to be fine. Help is coming." Gabriella stroked Carlos's cheek and tears began to fall down her cheeks. "Hurry. Hurry" Gabriella thought to herself.

As Gabriella tried to make her father as comfortable as possible she realized he had suddenly stopped moving and became eerily still and quiet.

"No!! Daddy!! No!!!" Gabriella yelled and hugged her father to her chest. "Wake up Daddy. Don't you dare leave me!"

Gabriella held her father close and tight on the floor of their tiny kitchen. Tears streaming down her face like rivers.

Suddenly the side door to the kitchen opened with a swift rush and three paramedics hurried in rolling a gurney behind them and holding several large red and black bags.

Two of the men quickly knelt down next to her father and started to take his blood pressure, look in his eyes with lights, rub his chest to try and get a response. They knew immediately time was of the essence and this man needed to get to the hospital.

"When did he pass out?" the blonde medic asked Gabriella.

"Umm, just a few minutes ago." Gabriella's entire body was shaking as she tried to stay out of the medic's way. She stood against the wall and watched as the men started an I.V. chatted vitals to each other and proceeded to work on her father.

The second medic with dark curly hair started to cut open the front of Mr. Montez's shirt with scissors and place the AED pads to his chest and sides.

"I have no pulse. Charging!" He yelled.

"Is he going to be ok? Please tell me he is going to be ok!" Gabriella covered her face and started to sob.

"Clear!" The first shock went through Mr. Montez's body and made his limp body shudder.

"Miss, we need some information from you right now about your father's medications and health history. Are you ok to answer some questions?" The blonde paramedic asked Gabriella as he put his arm around her shoulders and guided her into the living room trying to get her out from such a sight.

"My partners will do everything they can to help him." He said reassuring her to leave the room.

Gabriella looked back before leaving the room and saw the third paramedic on his knees leaning over her father starting to give him chest compressions. Then she heard the medic yell "Clear!" again as the jolt shot through Carlos's limp body once more. Gabriella jumped and screamed.

"Stop your hurting him!" she yelled as she lunged for the paramedic who was starting to give more chest compressions.

Gabriella pushed the medic into the cabinets and started to punch at his chest. The other two medics ran over to monitor and continue to assess treatment to Mr. Montez.

Gabriella held her eyes shut and continued to punch and yell at the paramedic to leave her father alone and just get him to the hospital.

"You are hurting him damn it! Stop it! Take him to the fucking hospital you beast!"

"Stop it miss, its ok." The medic tried to calm Gabriella down in between gasps of her profanity and left hooks. He finally grabbed her wrists and pulled her closer to him and just sat on the floor and held her.

Gabriella's whole exhausted body sunk into his broad chest. She felt helpless and started to cry harder than she ever had in her life.

"Clear!" The paramedic shouted from the kitchen again.

Another bolt shot through Mr. Montez's body. This time after the shock, he started to gasp shake. The monitor started to beep.

"We got a pulse." The curly haired medic said. "Let's get him to the hospital now before he crashes again!"

The two medics lifted Carlos onto the gurney, placed an oxygen mask on his face and quickly rolled him out of the house and into the back of the ambulance.

"Troy is she ok? You want to sit in back with her?"

Troy nodded as he slowly stood up and gently helped Gabriella up from the floor.

Gabriella felt very weak and leaned on Troy as she stood up with him and started to wipe her eyes.

"Are you o.k. miss?" Troy asked as he wiped away a tear that had falling midway down Gabriella's cheek.

Gabriella looked up and met Troy's sapphire eyes for the first time. Her chocolate yes seemed to melt in the sea of blue. They were hypnotic and made her feel warm inside. Like everything was going to be o.k.

"My name is Gabriella, and yes I will be fine. Just get me to my father."

"O.k. Gabriella, let's go." Troy put his hand on the small of Gabriella's waist and escorted her into the back of the ambulance. Troy sat next to Mr. Montez's head so he could keep an eye on the oxygen level and EKG readings, while Gabriella sat in a seat next to the gurney. She held on to her Father's hand and just caressed it so he would know she was there with him.

"We're all good Chad. Let's go!" The curly haired medic shut the back doors and tapped on the vehicle to signal the other medic to drive.

The ambulance quickly rolled away with the lights blazing and the siren bellowing, although it wasn't as loud in the back.

"Is he going to be ok?" Gabriella asked Troy as she looked at her father's pale face.

Troy adjusted the I.V. tubes, checked the EKG strip.

"He seems to be pretty stable right now, but he needs medical help to determine the severity of his attack."

Gabriella nodded as the tears began to well up in her eyes again.

"If he's half the fighter his daughter is, I'm certain he will be fine." Troy said as he smiled and pretended to favor and rub his left arm.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Gabriella looked up and giggled back at Troy. "I had no idea what you were doing to him. My father means everything to me."

"I understand. And we will do everything we can to get him to the hospital safely." Troy said as he placed his hand on Gabriella's knee and gently squeezed it.

Gabriella again felt warm inside by his soft touch and shyly looked up at him and nodded.

When the ambulance pulled up to the emergency room entrance the back doors quickly swung open. Chad pulled as Troy pushed Mr. Montez out and into the awaiting lobby. Dr. Walsh met them immediately at the doorway and Troy informed her of Mr. Montez's incident current vitals, meds that had been pushed and treatment on the sight.

"Ok, I'll take it from her boys. Well done. I think you gentlemen saved this man's life." Dr. Walsh said as she took the gurney and motioned for her intern to accompany Gabriella to the admitting desk.

Gabriella quickly followed the intern to a small cubicle to answer insurance questions and information for her father to be admitted into the hospital.

As Troy collected his medical bag and other supplies from the nurse's station for the ambulance he looked up at Gabriella and noticed how sad and fragile she looked. Yet he also saw the most amazing and beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.

Gabriella turned and as her eyes met Troy's. She mouthed "Thank You" to him and tried to give him a little smile.

Troy nodded and smiled back, but could not take his eyes off of her. Why hasn't he seen her in town before? He knows everyone in Cherry Grove.

"Bolton, let's go." Chad tapped Troy on the back and shook him out of his dazed state.

"Oh. Yeah. O.k." Troy turned and punched Chad in the arm. "Nice save Danforth."

"Nah, this one is yours dude."

"I'll take it." Troy said as they jumped up into the ambulance and drove back to the firehouse.

At the firehouse, the other firemen were just sitting down to dinner.

"Hey Bolton, Danforth you're on dish duty tonight!" the chief called out from his office.

"Shit again? What the hell did you do to piss him off now?" Troy turned and asked Chad.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You better talk about it, because every time you piss off your future father in law, he feels the need to drag me down with you." Troy slapped Chad in the back of the head. "So spill."

"Well, he kind of, umm, caught me and Taylor."

"Please say he caught you just playing on his pride and joy pool table."

"Well, yeah kind of. We were technically on his pool table, but we weren't exactly playing pool." Chad raised his eyebrows and smugly smiled at Troy.

"Are you fucking nuts?! Not only are you in the basement of his home, you're screwing his only daughter on his new pool table?!" Troy yelled.

"Keep it down you ass! I didn't realize he had a shift day off. I thought we were alone." Chad said as he looked over Troy's shoulder and saw Mr. McKessie walking towards them.

"As a matter of fact, I need you two to mop the garage floor too before you eat." Chief McKessie said as he handed Troy a bucket and Chad a wet mop and gave him a little shove.

"Yes sir." Both Chad and Troy answered.

"You owe me." Troy said to Chad. Troy then turned to go fill the bucket with soap and water and mumbled a few more profanities at him.

A few hours later Troy and Chad, along with their bunk mates Chucky and Jason sat at a poker table and started to play cards.

"Man, I think I have dish pan hands." Chad said as he looked at the front and back of his dry knuckles.

Before Troy could respond to him, the alarm went off and the dispatcher announced the need for the ambulance to assist on another call.

Since Troy, Jason and Chad were assigned to the ambulance for a 24 hour shift they had to quickly get up and go.

The incident wasn't far and it was for a little boy who fell on the ice and broke his wrist.

Once again Troy rode in the back and tried to comfort the child as well as the mother who was yelling at the boy for trying to ride his skateboard on their ice covered driveway.

"Wait until your father hears about this young man!" the mother shouted.

Troy just looked away and tried not to laugh because he could remember doing the same thing when he was younger.

As they pulled up to the emergency entrance and Troy escorted the boy out he smiled and told him he would be fine. He also advised the boy to maybe consider ice skates next time instead of a skateboard. That made the boy laugh. The mother of the boy however, gave him a dirty look and took her son into the awaiting room.

Troy laughed to himself and started to walk to the supply closet.

"I'm going to go down and get some gauze and blankets for the rig; I'll be back in a minute." Chad said to Troy as he started down the hall.

"Yeah right. Tell Taylor I said hi." Troy smiled and waved to Chad.

"O.k. but I may be a while. You know what that nurse's outfit does to me."

"Chad, you have 15 minutes dude."

"Give me at least 25."

"Fine, I'll get the supplies. Hurry up!"

"Hey, true love takes time my friend."

"Chad!" Troy yelled and threw a box of rubber gloves at him.

As Troy turned around he noticed the young woman whose father they had brought in earlier. She was sitting in the waiting room talking on her cell phone. She had her arms folded across her chest like she was trying to keep warm.

Troy poured two cups of coffee into two small styrofoam cups. When Gabriella hung up the phone he walked up to her.

"Hey, I thought you might like to have something to help warm you up." He said as he handed her the white cup with steam rising from it.

Gabriella looked up and immediately recognized Troy from earlier. How could she forget those piercing blue eyes?

"Thank you. I am cold. It is freezing in here."

"Yeah well, you're right next to the door that keeps opening and letting all the cold air inside. You should go sit in the family waiting room."

"Well, I'm not moving until I know my father is o.k." Gabriella said as she held tightly to the cup so it would warm her hands.

"Is he still down here? I thought they would have him upstairs by now." Troy said.

"They've been running him up and down and all around for tests. Hopefully they will know what he needs soon."

"I guess that's a good sign then. If it was worse he would be in surgery by now."

"Yeah I guess." Gabriella looked up at Troy who was now sitting next to her.

Troy noticed her soft chocolate eyes. They looked so sad and worried.

A feeling came over Troy like no other. He felt like he wanted to hug her and nurture her back to happiness. He was very confused since he had just met her. But it was like he had known her forever and felt protective of her.

"So what are you doing here again?" Gabriella asked as she sipped her hot drink.

"Duty calls. A kid broke his wrist." Troy motioned over to curtain 3, where his mother was sill lecturing the boy.

"Oh dear! Kind of scary for the Mom huh?"

Troy laughed. "She was actually ready to break his other wrist."

Gabriella giggled.

"A-ha I made you smile." Troy said as he brushed the hair from Gabriella's cheek.

Gabriella leaned back in surprise by Troy's touch, but at the same time a tingle came over her. She felt a little flustered.

"Oh sorry." Troy retracted his hand and put it around his drink. "Why did I do that?" he thought to himself.

"No, that's o.k. you did make me laugh. I needed that. By the way I'm sorry for punching you earlier at my house. I was freaking out big time."

"Ah no worries. I heal fast." Troy smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"Ms. Montez, the Dr. would like to speak with you." A nurse interrupted and motioned for Gabriella to follow her.

"Oh. O.k." Gabriella responded but before leaving she turned back to Troy.

"Thanks again, ummm Mr. Bolton." Gabriella said as she looked down to Troy's name badge. "You saved my father's life. I am so grateful."

"My name is Troy. And it's no big deal Ms. Montez. You're father is a strong man. He's going to be fine. And I should be too, eventually." Troy said as he stretched out his shoulder like he was in pain.

"Very funny. And call me Gabriella. What you do is amazing. You don't give yourself enough credit. "

"Thanks. And that's twice I made you smile." Troy wanted to get her number or e-mail or something, but the timing was awful. He knew she was concerned about her father and it was a bad time to ask for such a thing. But it killed him to just let her go.

"Bye Troy." Gabriella turned to follow the nurse and walked away.

"Bye." Troy answered back. He then whispered "Gabriella" as he watched her walk away down the corridor.

He felt such a strange feeling overcome his body, but he already missed her.

The next morning as Troy and Chad's shift ended, Troy decided to go for a long jog before having to drive back to his condo.

As his feet hit the pavement and he obtained his stride, he could not stop thinking about Gabriella. Her fragile petite frame, her soft amber brown eyes, those beautiful lips and flowing ebony hair. He seriously felt his heart skip a beat every time he thought of her. He seemed more out of breath as he started to cool down his speed.

As he completed his run back at the firehouse he saw Chad getting into his truck.

"Hey dude, what are your plans today?"

"I'm on my way to the hospital to pick up Tay and we're just going to hang out. I think tonight we may end up having pizza at my place. Do you want to come over and I can whip your ass at Halo 3?"

"Yeah right really funny. No I'm just gonna chill, maybe go see my bro."

"You're bro? Yeah right. As soon as you step foot on that campus you're going to go straight to that bitch Christi's house."

"Hey, hey, hey no need to be so harsh. And no I will not."

"Dude that wasn't harsh. What she did to you was harsh"

"Yeah well, I'm not getting into that right now, so drop it." Troy said as he tried to catch his breath.

"Fine. Suit yourself. The invitation still stands to meet up at my place. Let's say about 6."

"I don't know, I'll see where the day takes me." Troy said as he put his fire gear in the trunk of his car.

"Ok later."

"Later"

Chad's truck sped off and Troy got into his car to drive to his brothers' apartment at the University Campus.

"Hey Troy, this is a nice surprise. Come on in." Troy's little brother Kyle said as he opened the door.

Troy had to step over many beer bottles and a few sleeping people before he got to a chair that he could sit on.

"Do Mom and Dad know this is what their money is going to?"

"What do you think? As long as I keep my grades up, it's cool." Kyle said as he cleared a space on the couch to sit.

"How's work?" Kyle asked.

"It's crazy. Chad's antics aren't helping either."

"Is he still bangin the chief's daughter?"

"Taylor, Kyle, her name is Taylor. Have some class huh?"

"Sorry. Taylor. Is he still bangin Taylor?" Kyle asked again as he smiled.

"You're a real smart ass." Troy said then lunged to tackle Kyle and put him in a headlock.

The two brothers wrestled on the floor pinning each other and fun punching one another until a voice interrupted them.

"Ooooo can I get in the middle of a Bolton brother wrestling match?"

Troy and Kyle stopped wrestling and stood up.

"Hey Christi, it's awfully early for you to be up." Kyle said as he walked up to her and kissed her neck.

As Kyle nuzzled on Christi's neck she kept full eye contact on Troy.

"Yeah well, you boys were very loud and I had to see what all the fuss was about." Christi turned and walked into the kitchen as she pushed Kyle off of her like he was a puppy humping her leg.

Troy noticed her football jersey shirt was a little too short and he could see her ass cheeks in her tight boy shorts as she bent over to grab the orange juice from the refrigerator.

"So Troy how are you?" Christi asked as she poured her juice in a semi clean glass. Satisfied that he noticed her scandalous attire.

"I'm good."

"Mmmmmm you sure look good." Christi looked Troy up and down and took a drink.

Troy rolled his eyes and looked away. He felt extremely uncomfortable and knew his thoughts of hanging out with his brother were crushed.

"Did you see what your brother bought me for, well just because?" Christi held out her hand and a diamond tennis bracelet shimmered on her wrist.

Troy shot a look at Kyle. Kyle shrugged his shoulders.

"Kyle can we talk?" Troy said as he grabbed Kyle and shoved him outside the door in the hall.

"Are you kidding me? How much did that cost?" Troy started to question Kyle.

"Don't worry about it dude." Kyle defensively answered.

"I am going to worry about it because you are buying her shit with money Mom and Dad sends you for school!"

"Like I said as long as I get good grades Mom and Dad are happy. I can spend the money however I want."

"She's not worth it Kyle."

"Maybe to you she isn't."

Troy gave Kyle a nasty look and started to feel his ears burning with anger. He hated that Kyle was with Christi after what she did to him. But it was his brother and he loved him. He was young and stupid, but still family.

"I'm just warning you Kyle."

"Hey honey you know I don't like being alone." Christi opened the door and made a pouty face to Kyle.

"We're coming back in hun." Kyle looked at Troy and started to walk back into the apartment.

"You coming in?" Kyle asked Troy.

"No, I'm going to head back home. I just wanted to check on you and say hi."

"Come on bro, don't be like this."

"No it's cool. I'm going to go run some errands and chill at Chad's place tonight." Troy said as he messed up Kyle's hair.

"O.k. then I'll talk to you later." Kyle said as he walked in the doorway.

Troy nodded and turned around to get into his car. As he looked back he saw Christi through the doorway waving in a very flirty way to him as she slowly closed the door.

His stomach flipped and he started to feel sick.


	2. Chapter 2

**FLASHOVER ---Chapter 2**

**_FYI-In some fire departments the firefighters are also paramedics and will change duties per 24 hour shift. _**

**_Also, the normal shift schedule is 24 hours on duty—48 hours off._**

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
_**

Troy immediately turned on the radio in his car to full blast hoping it would possibly drown out the memories he was having of his past with Christi.

He still couldn't shake the memories and it killed him that she made him feel so bitter towards life.

He needed to talk to someone, someone who would understand.

Troy found himself standing in front of a large intricately carved oak wood door. He knocked softly, not sure if being there was such a good idea.

The door slowly swung open.

"Troy? This is a surprise. What brings you here?" a woman's voice happily greeted him.

"Hey Sharpay, can we talk?"

Sharpay took a good look at Troy and could tell he was down about something and had something on his mind. She knew him all too well.

"Yeah sure, come on in." Sharpay fully opened the door and Troy stepped into the beautiful foyer of the Evan's Estate.

"Let's go in Daddy's study, Ryan has taken over the family room with his friend. They're playing silly video games." Sharpay said rolling her eyes.

"Really?" Troy leaned his head around the corner.

"Umm Troy you came here to see me."

"I know. I'm just kidding." Troy laughed and entered the study and sat on the burgundy leather couch.

Sharpay sat in a matching leather high back chair across from Troy.

"So what's wrong?"

"Who says there's anything wrong? Can't a guy come over to say hi to a dear friend?" Troy tried to give a convincing look back at Sharpay.

"Troy I have known you since we were in first grade. We have been through many things together and you know I can read you like a book. So what is going on?"

"Fine." Troy hesitated before he continued to talk. Troy then sighed heavily and continued.

"I just came from Kyle's place."

"Ok?" Sharpay situated herself on the large chair that seemed to swallow her up.

"Well, Christi was there."

Sharpay drew in a heavy sigh and rolled her eyes.

"Enough said Troy."

Troy looked at Sharpay and nodded.

"Yeah, it was awkward."

Sharpay turned her head and gazed out of the window that was next to her. Her eyes began to fill with tears.

"I'm sorry Shar; I didn't mean to upset you. I should leave." Troy stood up and caressed Sharpay's shoulder.

Sharpay put her hand over Troy's and looked up at him.

"You haven't upset me at all. We are the only one's that truly know what the other is feeling. I am here for you Troy. You have to know that. It just still hurts when I think about it."

"I know it does, but I'm tired of hurting."

"Me too. But it is what it is."

"I guess. I just don't know if I can see my brother go through what I did. He is young and way too vulnerable for Christi's shit. But he's so blind and won't listen to me."

"Yeah she has that effect on men." Sharpay said as she looked at Troy and smirked.

"Shut up." Troy nudged Sharpay.

"I guess we both just have to sit back and see where life takes us. I'm trying my best to forget your brother and move on. I actually have taken up knitting." Sharpay said with fake enthusiasm.

"Yeah and how is that working out for you?" Troy asked as he raised an eyebrow.

"Shut up." Sharpay returned a nudge to Troy.

The two friends laughed and decided to go in the kitchen to see what food Ryan and his guest didn't devour.

"I'm glad you came by Troy." Sharpay said as she bit into an apple. "I've missed hanging out together."

"Yeah, it has been a while. But with two guys hurt at work, I've been pulling double shifts and then on the third day I just sleep and catch up on errands and shit."

"Oh yeah how is work? Better yet how is Chucky?" Sharpay raised her eyebrows and seductively took another bite from the red fruit.

"Work is good." Troy immediately thought about his last shift and the beautiful image of Gabriella took over his mind.

"And Chucky?" Sharpay snapped her finger in front of Troy's glazed over face.

"And Chucky is Chucky." Troy stuttered. He was oblivious to Sharpay's intent with her question. Troy simply continued to wolf down a bowl of cereal.

"It's Chad I have to try and control." Troy continued. "He is always getting us in trouble with the chief."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me, I have to call Tay and find out what we are doing for Chad's birthday."

"Oh jeez, are you two planning a party?"

"Kind of. We may need your help."

"Anything to embarrass the shit out of Chad. I'm in." Troy laughed an evil laugh.

"Well, since he is the big 25, we thought we would have a Vegas themed night and turn my Daddy's nightclub into a casino, but we want to somehow make it a surprise."

"I'm sure I can help with that. Let me know when and what time. I will figure out how to get him there."

"I'm thinking next Saturday since the club is closed to the public for remodeling in the front bar area. We will have the party in the back VIP section. Daddy already said yes. I will talk with Tay about the exact time and get back to you."

"Cool. Are there going to be burlesque girls and topless waitresses?" Troy smirked.

"Ummm no. Sorry to burst your horny bubble Bolton." Sharpay threw her apple core at Troy. It hit him on the head and then dropped into his cereal bowl spilling milk all over his white T-shirt.

"Aww man." Troy stood up and looked at Sharpay like he was going in for the kill.

"Troy, behave. Don't you dare." Sharpay screamed and ran around the kitchen island when she saw Troy pick up a spoon full of Fruity O's.

"Hey, hey, what's going on in here?" Ryan yelled as he walked into the room and was hit square in the forehead with red and yellow cereal rings.

"Glad to see you too Troy." Ryan said as he wiped his head.

Troy and Sharpay looked at each other and stared to laugh.

"Hey Ryan, what's up dude?" Troy said in between chuckles.

"Not much, just playing video games with Sean."

"Yeah who is Sean?"

"My new flavor of the month. But don't tell him I said that." Ryan put his finger to his mouth to shush Troy.

"My lips are sealed." Troy said as he pretended to zip them shut.

Ryan winked at Troy and went back into the family room.

"And with that, I am gone." Troy said as he put the spoon and cereal bowl in the sink.

"Are you sure? We can hang out, maybe take in a movie? Like old times."

"Nah, I think I'm gonna chill, get some things done around town and head over to Chad's later."

"Oh alright." Sharpay said as she started to walk Troy to the door.

"Say hi to Chad and Tay for me and tell her I will call or text her later tonight."

"O.k." Troy hugged Sharpay goodbye. "Thanks for being there for me. I didn't mean to ruin you day."

"Well, I don't think we really talked about "it" much." Sharpay made quotation mark signs with her fingers as she said the word _it. "_You didn't ruin anything Troy. That's what friends are for."_  
_

"Thanks for that Shar."

"Anytime." Sharpay walked Troy to his car and hugged him one more time. "Be careful and call me soon."

"Will do." Troy slid into the driver's seat of his black Audi and drove off down the long narrow driveway.

Troy accomplished most of his errands when he suddenly realized it was already close to eight o'clock and he hadn't eaten anything since Sharpay's house. He figured he would go to Chad's and eat some of his food for a change.

Chad answered the door while holding a large piece of pizza in his hand, which Troy hungrily took from him.

"What's up dude?" Troy asked with his mouth full.

"Not much, just having a lazy day with my own private nurse." Chad said as he ran over to Taylor who was sitting on the couch reading a magazine, and tickled her.

"Get off me you beast! You smell like pizza and beer!" Taylor giggled and pushed Chad off of her.

"Hey Taylor, how is good ole General Memorial treating you?" Troy asked while he got himself a cold beer from the fridge.

"It's fine Troy. I'm actually on the cardiac floor now. It's much nicer than all those moody pregnant women." Taylor rolled her eyes and continued to read.

"Really? The cardiac floor huh?" Troy stopped chewing and looked at Taylor.

"Any patients by the name of Montez there?" Troy asked after swallowing his last bite of pizza and taking a swig of beer.

"Yeah there was." Taylor sat up and looked up at Troy from her magazine.

"Just this afternoon he was sent up. He's scheduled for a triple bypass tomorrow. Do you know him Troy?"

Taylor asked.

"Umm no, He was just a guy we brought in yesterday. I'm not sure why I remembered his name." Troy didn't feel comfortable telling Taylor or anyone for that matter about his curiosity for Mr. Montez's daughter.

And as if Taylor read his mind she continued to talk about it.

"Yeah and his daughter is there with him all the time. Gabriella is her name. She is so sweet. We chatted for a while over a cup of tea. I guess his wife passed away recently, so she is really worried she's going to lose him too."

"Is she from around here?" Chad asked as he reached across the table for his beer.

Troy loved that some of his questions were being answered and he didn't have to say a word.

"No, they just moved here from Michigan. Gabriella is going to be a fourth grade teacher at Butler Elementary in a couple of weeks after they are settled in. But now with her Dad being sick, she doesn't know what she is going to do."

"Ah he'll be fine." Chad said as pizza sauce dropped out of his mouth and onto his shirt. "Triple bypass's are like a walk in the park these days."

"You are such a slob!" Taylor yelled. "I just bought you that shirt."

Troy looked at the red stain on Chad's light blue Henley and started to laugh.

"Dude, do you need a bib?" Troy laughed even harder as Chad made the stain worse while trying to wipe it with a dry napkin.

"Seriously!" Taylor walked over to Chad and ripped his shirt over his head and went into the kitchen to put some club soda on the stain and soak it.

Chad sat on the couch shirtless, grabbed another slice of pizza and leaned back with his feet rested on the coffee table as he turned to continue to chat with Troy.

"Life is good." Chad smiled and flexed his muscular pecs up and down so they did somewhat of a dance.

"Put those things away you ass!" Troy continued to laugh as he tried to drink his beer down.

"Anyway." Taylor said as she came back and threw a clean shirt on Chad's stomach. "Gabriella said she was going to be there again all day tomorrow, so hopefully when my shift starts I can be with her to keep her company because I'm sure her Dad will be pretty knocked out on pain meds."

Troy couldn't help but feel his heart flutter every time he heard her name. "Gabriella", he thought. Over and over he would say it in his head. It has such a beautiful sound to it.

"What shift are you working tomorrow?" Troy asked Taylor.

"I'm working the four to twelve shift tomorrow." Taylor replied.

"What?" Chad sat up and yelled. "You work until midnight tomorrow?"

"Yeah, so I've worked that late before. What's wrong?"

"I wanted to take you to dinner." Chad looked like he just lost his puppy.

"Oh baby, that is so sweet," Taylor climbed on Chad's lap and started to kiss his lips and caress his crazy curly hair.

"O.k. I think that is my cue to leave." Troy stood up and tapped Chad on the shoulder. "See ya later dude."

Chad just raised his hand and waved goodbye to Troy, never unlocking his lips from Taylor's.

Troy walked into the kitchen, set down his plate and beer on the counter and noticed a cell phone lying near the sink. He grabbed it and put it in his pocket. Then proceeded to the door and quietly making his exit before clothes started to come flying at him.

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**Hope you all are enjoying the story… don't worry Firefighter Troy hotness is in the future. :drool:**

**Please comment—Thanks.**


	3. Chapter 3

**FLASHOVER—Chapter3**

**I wanted to shout out a special thanks to JB. She is the best!!! Thanks babe!**

Early the next morning Troy woke up to the sound of his cell phone blaring the _Rocky_ theme song.

"Yeah." He answered the phone still half asleep.

"Hey dude, sorry to wake you up, but Taylor is freaking out!" Chad frantically explained on the phone.

"About what?" Troy slowly sat up and scratched his face and crotch.

"She can't find her cell phone and is panicking. I guess she has some notes and stuff she needs for work saved on it. She said she left it on the counter in the kitchen."

"Well, she doesn't work until four, I thought. I'm sure it will turn up." Troy answered as he looked at the pink metallic phone sitting on his dresser.

"No, dude, she was called to go in at noon now. Some other nurse is sick and they had to do a last minute schedule change."

"Noon huh?" Troy thought that was a better time for him anyway.

"I'm sure it will turn up. But I haven't seen it."

"Alright, well I told her I would give you a call. Hopefully she left it in her locker at work. She's driving me nuts!" Chad whispered in the phone.

Troy could hear Taylor in the background yelling about where the phone could possibly be and was she losing her mind? Troy couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm glad you think this is funny Bolton." Chad said. "O.k. I gotta go; she is starting to throw the couch cushions around the room."

"O.k. good luck." Troy pushed the end button on his phone and laughed again as he picked up Taylor's phone and noticed on the screen _27 missed calls_. Troy shook his head, smiled and proceeded to undress for a shower.

Taylor had been searching for her phone all morning with no luck. She told Chad to keep looking while she went to the hospital to start her shift.

"Hey there Gabriella, you're still here?" Taylor asked Gabriella as she entered her father's hospital room.

Gabriella was sitting in a chair next to her father who was sleeping.

"Yeah, He just came back from surgery." Gabriella said as she yawned.

"Well, he's going to be sleeping for quite a while." Taylor told her and pressed some buttons on his monitors.

"You should go get some fresh air." Taylor advised Gabriella.

"I'm o.k." Gabriella poured herself a cup of water and walked over to the window to open the blinds.

"It is a beautiful day isn't it?" she observed to Taylor.

"Yep, would be better if I could find my darn cell phone." Taylor said as she fluffed Mr. Montez's pillows and straightened the bed's blankets.

"You lost your phone?"

"I don't know what happened to it. But it is crazy how much I depend on that little electronic thing. It has so much information that I rely on."

"I'm sure it will turn up." Gabriella tried to sound convincing.

"I swear I have looked everywhere. I just cannot figure out where it is."

"Looking for this?" Troy appeared in the hospital room doorway leaning against the frame dangling the pink phone on his index finger.

Both Gabriella and Taylor turned to acknowledge his smirky voice.

"Troy!!! You found it!" Taylor lunged towards Troy.

Troy smiled and held out his arms for what he thought would be a thank you hug from Taylor. Instead she just grabbed the phone, turned away from him and started to press the keys.

Gabriella laughed at the site of Troy standing in the doorway with his arms outstretched and a blank look on his face.

"Glad I can make you smile again" he said to Gabriella.

Gabriella nodded her head and felt her face blush as she saw Troy's perfect smile aimed at her.

"Troy where did you find my phone?" Taylor asked as she put it in her scrub pant's pocket.

Troy continued to stare at Gabriella as he answered Taylor.

"I found it on the walkway in the front of Chad's building last night when I left." Troy quickly answered Taylor before turning his attention back to Gabriella.

"So how is your Dad?" he asked Gabriella

"He seems better. The surgery went well." Gabriella answered as she took her father's hand in hers.

"He looks a lot better." Troy walked over to the other side of Mr. Montez, but kept his eyes fixed on Gabriella.

He was so enamored with her pure beauty. Her flawless mocha skin, the way her long ebony hair fell across her shoulders, the warmness of her amber eyes, her lips seemed so perfect in shape and fullness.

Troy couldn't take his eyes off of her petite frame for a second.

Gabriella could feel him staring at her, but didn't mind.

"So can you go with me for lunch?" Troy asked Gabriella.

"I mean, it looks like Taylor will take good care of your father for a while."

"I don't know. I feel bad leaving him." Gabriella wanted to go, but was hesitant to leave her father.

"He'll be fine. I promise." Troy looked at Gabriella and reached out his hand.

When Gabriella's eyes met with Troy's she felt this instant feeling of comfort and trust. A feeling she has only felt with her father. It was amazing that this guy, this fireman she just met, could make her feel so comfortable and safe.

"O.k. I guess I am a little hungry." Gabriella took Troy's hand and followed him out into the hall.

"Hey, wait a minute." Taylor exclaimed as she looked up from the I.V. tubes she was adjusting.

"I didn't go through the front door of Chad's building yesterday!" Taylor immediately realized she was bamboozled and that Troy had stolen her phone for some reason.

"Troy!" Taylor yelled down the hall.

"We better walk faster." Troy said to Gabriella as he squeezed her hand and pulled her to speed up their pace.

"What did you do?" Gabriella asked as she looked back at Taylor and laughed.

"I'll explain later." Troy quickly escorted Gabriella into an awaiting elevator and pushed the 'close door' button.

"Troy, you are a sneaky little….." Taylor's last insulting words were cut off as the elevator doors closed.

Troy and Gabriella stood alone in the elevator and laughed.

"I don't know what just happened, but I have a feeling it is funny."

"Yeah it is, although I think eventually I won't be able to out run Taylor."

The elevator reached the main lobby level. Troy and Gabriella proceeded to walk out and noticed they had been holding hands the whole time.

Gabriella pulled her hand apart from Troy's.

"Sorry."

"I don't mind." Troy said as he reached out and took Gabriella's hand back into his.

"So, do you like sushi?" he asked.

"Hmmmm yummy. Of course I do." Gabriella answered as she licked her lips.

"Cool, there's a place right around the corner called The Roll Up. We can walk there if you're up to it."

"Sure."

Troy made small talk as they walked the few blocks to the restaurant.

It was so easy for Troy to talk to Gabriella. He felt as if she had always been in his life. He loved the feeling, but was confused about it since they just met. No other woman has made him feel the feelings he was having towards Gabriella. And he didn't even really know her yet. But that was going to change.

As Troy and Gabriella sat down at a table, Troy noticed a beautiful antique looking ruby and diamond ring on Gabriella's right hand ring finger.

"That's quite a ring you have there."

"Oh thanks. It was my mother's." Gabriella answered and looked down at the menu.

"Was?" Troy asked. "Did she give it to you when you graduated high school or for a birthday or something?"

"No, not exactly." Gabriella seemed to want to change the subject. "So what do you recommend?"

"The tuna roll is a no brainer." Troy answered, but still wanted to know more about the ring. "Is a ruby your birthstone?"

Gabriella looked up at Troy as the waitress walked up to their table.

Troy ordered the tuna roll for both him and Gabriella.

"It was my mother's birthstone. She passed away three months ago. Cancer."

Troy swallowed and took in a deep breath.

"Sorry."

"It's o.k. I just haven't really talked about it with anyone." Gabriella's eyes started to tear.

"And that's why I can't lose my father. He is my life right now. He is my everything."

Troy nodded and just sat there and listened.

"We came here to Cherry Grove just a few weeks ago to scatter my mom's ashes in Topaz Lake because that's what my mom wanted. She loved it there."

"It is beautiful." Troy agreed.

"Yeah she would always talk about how she would go there with her sisters and vacation. It was so peaceful to her."

Gabriella tried to prevent her tears from falling. She looked out the window and tried to compose herself.

"Gabriella, its o.k." Troy comforted her and put his hand over hers on the table.

Gabriella felt she could let the tears fall with Troy and wanted to tell him everything she had never told anyone.

"When we got her, we thought it would be so easy to honor my mother's wish and then turn around and go back to New Mexico. Well, it wasn't or isn't."

"Why not?" Troy hated the thought of Gabriella leaving, but thought to ask anyway.

"My Dad can't seem to part with my mom." Gabriella explained.

"He just won't go to the lake and let her rest in peace. Her ashes are still in a gold urn in his room. He is so sad."

"Wow." Troy didn't know what to say.

"I know, it is nuts. So I told him there was nothing pulling me back to New Mexico, that we could just stay here to be close to mom forever, but we still need to place her where she wished to be for eternity. I figured it was a good solution. My dad is retired and I was able to secure a job fairly quick with the school district, so that is that. Or so I thought." Gabriella started to get more angry than sad.

"Sounds reasonable to me." Troy said as he started to eat his sushi.

"Not with Mr. Montez." Gabriella said. The ease she had with Troy just kept her talking.

"The other day when you came to the house." Gabriella paused.

"Yeah?" Troy stroked the top of her hand to let her know it was o.k. to continue.

"Well, my father and I had had a big argument about the whole thing. I told him he needs to let go and just remember all the fond things about mom and that he still had me." Gabriella's eyes began to water again.

"Damn him!" she yelled.

"Gabs it's not your fault." Troy wanted to take her in his arms and kiss the pain away.

"What did you call me?" Gabriella looked at Troy through her wet eyelashes.

"Ummm Gabs?" Troy answered, not sure if it was the right name to call her.

Gabriella has only had one person call her that. Her father. It never seemed right for anyone else to use that nickname for her. Until now. She liked the way it sounded coming from Troy's perfect mouth.

Gabriella looked at Troy and smiled.

"It's o.k." she smiled to ease the frightened expression on Troy's face.

"It just threw me off guard. The only person who has ever called me that is my.." Gabriella paused. "father."

"I'm sorry, I won't..." Troy started to apologize.

"No." Gabriella put her finger to Troy's lips. "It's o.k. You can call me Gabs too. I like it"

Troy took Gabriella's hand that was at the opening of his mouth and gently kissed her knuckles.

Gabriella's body felt like it was swirling into a haze. The tingles she felt throughout every limb was intense. She struggled to even out her breathing. It was as if the world around her became a foggy black shadow and the only person that came into focus for her was Troy Bolton. She couldn't believe these feelings and reactions she had from just one tender kiss on her hand. It made her crave for more.

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**Please comment. Thanks.**


	4. Chapter 4

**FLASHOVER**—Chapter 4

**Again, thanks JB!!**

"Are you finished with your meal miss?" a strange voice shook Gabriella out of her trance.

"Oh yeah, thank you." Gabriella slid her hand out from under Troy's and pushed her plate to the end of the table for the waitress.

"You ok?" Troy asked.

"Yes. I just think I need to get back to the hospital." Gabriella started to get her breathing back to normal.

She didn't want to end the lunch with Troy, but felt that she needed to be with her father in case he woke up. She couldn't bear the thought of him being alone.

"O.k., then let's get out of here." Troy stood up and put his hand out for Gabriella to walk ahead of him.

When Gabriella did, he softly placed his hand on the small of her back and walked behind her out of the sushi restaurant.

While walking back the few short blocks to the hospital, Troy tried to convince Gabriella that her father's heart attack was going to happen no matter what and her argument with him had nothing to do with it.

"I know Troy, but I really feel like I broke his heart more than it already was since my mother died."

"Gabriella, Did your father ever say his goodbye to your mom properly before she passed?" Troy asked.

Gabriella sadly looked down at the ground.

"He doesn't think he did."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he pretty much told her he loved her everyday, but refused to ever say goodbye. He never could bring himself to say the words."

As Troy and Gabriella walked into the hospital lobby and to the elevator doors, Troy turned to face Gabriella and with his right index finger gently lifted Gabriella's chin so their eyes met.

"Maybe you should tell your father that if he scatters your mom's ashes in Lake like she wished it would be his own special way of saying goodbye, and he can feel better about himself."

"I'll try telling him that. I just hope he listens." Gabriella said as she gazed into Troy's eyes.

"I'm sure this attack will shine a new light on a lot of things for him. I mean he has to realize that he has a beautiful daughter who cares for him like no other and that he needs to be there for her future."

Troy stared deeply into Gabriella's brown eyes. Even though he saw sadness in them, he also felt what he thought was a spark of attraction from Gabriella. Staring at her perfect facial features made Troy's heart flutter and stomach do flip flops. His mouth suddenly became dry as dust and his ability to swallow was gone.

Troy leaned in a little closer to Gabriella's mouth. His lips were almost in contact with hers. He closed his eyes and could feel her sweet breath under his nose. Troy held his breath and leaned his mouth closer to Gabriella's. The tips of their noses slightly touched. Troy angled his head to the left and could feel Gabriella angle hers to the right. Troy caressed Gabriela's jaw line with the finger that he had under her chin and then cupped the small of her neck with his hand. He placed his free hand on her waist and gently pulled her body closer to his.

Gabriella felt her entire body was at Troy's control. She wasn't even sure if she was still standing upright.

Her eyes closed and her hands automatically raised and placed themselves on Troy's muscular biceps that seemed to fit so perfectly in his light leather jacket.

Gabriella could feel the warmth from Troy's mouth so close to hers. As he pulled her closer to him she opened her lips slightly and let him kiss her as she gently squeezed his arms.

Their lips softly met each other. Troy gently kissed Gabriella's lips once and then went back for more. He filled the slight opening of Gabriella's lips with his tongue and met hers. The tips of their tongues tenderly tasted each other as they rustled around each others mouths.

Gabriella opened her eyes first and slowly backed away from Troy's touch. Her hands stroked downward from his arms to his hands. She held them and looked up into his eyes.

"Thank you for listening." She somehow managed to say.

Troy smiled and nodded. His mouth still felt dry and he couldn't form any words.

"I need to go to my father now."

Troy nodded again.

The elevator door opened. Gabriella entered and pushed the button for the cardiac floor.

Just before the door fully closed, Troy lodged his foot at the bottom. The door quickly opened up again. Troy winced in pain.

Gabriella laughed and held her hands up to her mouth.

"What are you doing?" she giggled.

"I need to see you again." Troy could finally talk.

"I'll be right here. Come visit anytime." Gabriella said as she pushed the button again.

"I will." Troy said and winked at Gabriella. Troy saw that Gabriella was smiling back at him right as the two elevator doors closed. His heart skipped another beat.

Back in Mr. Montez's room Taylor was writing down his vitals in his chart.

"How's he doing?" Gabriella asked her as she quietly walked in.

Taylor looked up and put her pen back in her pocket.

"He's doing great Gabriella. I think he will recover just fine." Taylor smiled and reassured Gabriella with a gentle rub on her arm.

"He will need some rehabilitation, but the surgery went well. I will have the Dr. give you all the details as soon I can." Taylor put Mr. Montez's chart back on the hook at the end of his bed and walked over to refill the water pitcher.

"Thank you so much for taking such great care of him." Gabriella said as she sat down in the chair by her father's side.

"You're welcome." Taylor poured Gabriella a glass of water.

"So how do you know Troy Bolton?" she asked as she set the pitcher back down on the table.

"I didn't until my father had his attack. He was one of the paramedics that came to help."

"Ahhh, I see." Taylor nodded.

"Are you two…?" Gabriella suddenly thought that Taylor and Troy were an item and felt very uncomfortable.

"Oh good lord no!" Taylor answered instantly.

"I'm his best friend's gal. Chad. He was most likely the other silly boy at the call. You know the crazy haired guy?" Taylor put her hands up over her head to try and explain Chad's hair size.

Gabriella laughed.

"Oh yeah, he was there too. He's cute."

"Yeah he is isn't he." Taylor agreed.

"He's pretty hot in bed too."

Gabriella and Taylor laughed out loud together.

"But, I thought Troy came here to take you to lunch?" Taylor asked with a confused look on her face.

"Ummm, no I thought he came here to return your phone." Gabriella reminded Taylor.

"Oh yeah. My phone." Taylor finally put two and two together.

"You know what I think?" she asked Gabriella.

"Do I want to know?" Gabriella asked back at Taylor.

"I like you girl. We need to hang out." Taylor laughed at Gabriella's question.

"I would like that. I don't really know many people here yet." Gabriella replied.

"Cool. Anyway, I think Mr. Bolton stole my phone last night at Chad's so he could return it to me here knowing full well that you would be here with your father."

Taylor stood across from Gabriella with her finger to her mouth tapping it on her lips.

"You know what? I think you may have something there." Gabriella smiled and felt flattered that Troy would plan such a scheme to see her again.

He's a pretty smart guy huh?" she asked.

"Well, I don't really think it was a smart idea to mess with me and my phone." Taylor said in a joking manner.

"I was freaking out on poor Chad all morning." Taylor stopped suddenly when she said Chad's name.

"What?" Gabriella asked. She could tell Taylor looked worried about something.

"Shit. I need to call Chad!" Taylor ran for the door. "I told him to search every inch of his condo building, back yard, front parking lot, back parking lot, air vents, laundry room, you name it I told him to search it."

"The poor thing is probably going crazy." Taylor hurried out of Mr. Montez's room to call Chad.

"I'll be back in a while." She said to Gabriella as she ran down the hallway.

"O.k. good luck." Gabriella yelled back to her.

Gabriella then sat next to her father and held his hand. She turned the television on low and clicked from channel to channel.

She finally stopped at the local news channel. In the middle of the sportscast a breaking story came across the screen. Gabriella slightly turned up the volume.

"_This just in. A three alarm fire has been reported in an abandoned warehouse on Sycamore Street. So far we have very few details. The blaze appears to be out of control and several fire stations have been called to assist in the fire. We will report more information as we receive it from the site."_

Gabriella watched the screen flash live video footage of the large building that was engulfed in flames.

She suddenly felt sick to her stomach. The thought of Troy immediately entered her mind.

As she continued to watch the television for more information, Taylor walked back in the room.

Gabriella could tell she was concerned.

"Taylor, what is it?" Gabriella asked.

"The guys got called in. There's a big fire at some abandoned warehouse. They called it in as a box alarm." She answered.

"A what?"

"A box alarm is when the structure fire is so big that they need more man power, so they call off shift guys to come in and other engine companies to assist them." Taylor tried to explain.

"So are they at the actual fire?"

"I don't know yet. But we haven't had a fire this big in this town for a while." Taylor spoke as she watched the television.

"I'm sure they're fine." She turned and tried to assure Gabriella.

"I hope so." Gabriella said.

She could not explain why she felt so scared at that moment. She just met this guy she thought to herself. But she never felt so content and safe with anyone before. He had a chemistry with her that was so natural.

Gabriella looked at up at the television screen again and saw that a different news reporter had come on and was reporting live from the scene.

"This fire is especially dangerous because of the intense chemicals that are housed in this building. The firefighters are trying to just contain the fire at this time and prevent it from spreading. The wind isn't helping much and the men are starting to get exhaus….."

Just as the reporter was trying to finish his sentence there was a loud explosion and a giant fireball angrily rolled up into the sky.

Gabriella and Taylor jumped and screamed into each other's arms.

**Tell me what you think peeps.. ******


	5. Chapter 5

**FLASHOVER—chapter 5**

"Oh my God!" Gabriella squeezed Taylor's arm.

"Oh wow!" Taylor stared at the television screen with her mouth open in shock.

"I can't believe that just happened. There were firemen on the roof. I saw them!" Gabriella said as she turned towards Taylor.

"Do they know that?" she asked.

"I'm sure everyone is fine." Taylor realized she needed to stay calm and try to relax Gabriella.

"They know what they're doing Gabriella."

"Yeah, but that was a massive explosion." Gabriella was still worried.

"O.k. calm down. I will call the station and try to get a hold of my Dad."

"You're Dad?" Gabriella asked.

"Yeah, he's the Fire Chief here in town. He'll tell me what he can if he is available." Taylor started to walk out of the hospital room while dialing her cell phone.

Gabriella sat down in a chair next to her sleeping father and grabbed his hand as she waited for Taylor to come back.

The news reporter who was reporting when the blast happened came back on the screen.

"_As you saw folks, there was a major explosion from within the warehouse. We are still waiting for details if there are any injuries. This seems to be an unpredictable fire and quite a challenge for the several engine companies that are trying to battle it. Stay tuned."_

The only thing Gabriella kept thinking about was whether Troy was called into the station to aid in the fire. She knew it was his day off so she was hoping he wasn't.

Her mind went back to their lunch. She pictured his smile, his hand holding hers, his laugh and their kiss.

"I didn't get a hold of my father, but I did talk to Polly, the dispatcher." Taylor said as she entered the room.

"The only thing she could tell me was that engine co. 71 sent in two shifts of men to the scene and two more were on standby at the station."

"So what does that mean?" Gabriella stood up and walked over to Taylor.

"It means I don't have much information for us right now." Taylor answered Gabriella.

"Listen, I have to go do my rounds. I will come back as soon as I can."

"O.k. Thanks." Gabriella sat back down.

"Taylor?" she asked.

"Aren't you scared for Chad? Or you're Dad?"

"Of course I am. But they are damn good firemen and take care of each other, so I am faithful that they are alright."

Gabriella nodded.

"O.k. Thanks." Gabriella smiled and looked down at her father.

_Keep the faith._ She thought to herself.

As Taylor was checking in on her patients and stocking the rooms for the next nurse on duty she heard some of the emergency room nurses talking in the break room about the fireman that was brought in a few minutes ago.

"Did you see his muscles?" the one nurse asked.

"Oh my God I know, and his abs looked so yummy." The other nurse said.

The two nurses giggled and continued to share fantasies.

"I wouldn't mind bandaging up his lower wounds."

"Or giving him a sponge bath. That hair would be so fun to rub my fingers through."

Taylor thought for sure after that last sentence that it was her man they were ogling about.

"Umm don't you girls have some hemorrhoids to pop or enemas to give?" Taylor said in a sassy tone.

The two new nurses looked at Taylor, stood up and walked out with their noses in the air.

Taylor rolled her eyes at them and quickly finished her shift and went to go get Gabriella.

"Hey, come with me." Taylor said as she leaned in the doorway of Mr. Montez's room and waved to Gabriella.

Gabriella gave Taylor a puzzled look.

"What's up?" she asked as she tucked in her fathers blankets around him and walked to the door.

"We need to go down to the emergency floor. An injured fireman was brought in."

"Oh my gosh." Gabriella quickly followed Taylor to the elevator.

As Gabriella and Taylor walked arm in arm towards the blue curtain they could see a bunch of black dirty boots from underneath.

Taylor opened the curtain and staring back at her were at least eight soot covered smelly firemen. They were all surrounding a bed where one shirtless fireman was laying, but was out of their sight.

"Hey babe!" Chad walked over to greet Taylor with a big hug.

"Holy shit do you stink!" she said as she quickly hugged him relieved he was not hurt but then pushed him away.

"Glad to see you too." Chad said and hugged Taylor again, this time squeezing her harder and kissing her on the top of the head.

Gabriella laughed as she watched them. She thought they were so sweet with each other.

She then looked over Chad's shoulder to the right and saw Troy staring back at her.

Troy smiled and made his way through the laughing firemen over to where Gabriella was standing.

"Hi." He said.

"Hi." Gabriella's mouth suddenly went dry. She desperately wanted to throw her arms around him like Taylor did Chad.

"You o.k.?" she asked.

Troy nodded his head.

Gabriella stared at his chiseled jaw that had black soot smeared across it. It almost outlined his perfect feature. His hair was all wet from sweating under his helmet. A few strands were loosely hanging over his eyes. Gabriella felt weak in the knees and desperately wanted to hug him and never let go.

"So what happened?"

"We were in the back trying to keep the fire from spreading to the warehouse next to the one on fire and when the explosion happened it knocked a bunch of bricks off the building. They came crashing down and Chucky here got hit in the head." Troy said as he pointed to the shirtless guy in the bed.

Chucky raised his right hand and lazily waved to Gabriella.

"You were never the fastest kid on the team were you?" Taylor said to Chucky as she walked over to his bedside.

"Oh give him a break. He was in lala land since lunch." Chad said and all the fellow firemen laughed with him.

"Shut up Danforth." Chucky said as he winced in pain.

"What? What are you talking about?" Taylor asked Chad.

"Oh nothing. He just got a call from a certain admirer and finally gave in to her and made a date." Chad continued to embarrass Chucky.

"Really?" Taylor turned to Chucky again.

"Anyone I know?" she asked.

As soon as Taylor asked Chucky that question. Sharpay ran in the small curtained room.

"Oh my goodness! Are you o.k. pookie?" she asked Chucky as she pushed her way through the firemen standing around to the bed and caressed Chucky's hair.

All the firemen snickered under their breaths and slowly walked out of the room as they said their goodbyes to Chucky.

"No way." Taylor laughed and looked at Troy.

"Did you know about this?" she asked him.

Troy smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

"I had no idea they had nicknames already." He said and laughed as he looked at Chad. And gave him a high five.

As Troy lowered his arm his face tightened and he took a deep breath.

"You're hurt aren't you?" Gabriella asked.

"No. No I'm fine." Troy replied as he rolled his shoulder around a bit.

"Fine my ass!" Sharpay walked over to Troy and stood right in between him and Gabriella.

"You better get that checked out Troy. I can't stand to see you hurt." she demanded.

"I can get a doctor over here to just take a quick look Troy." Taylor said.

Gabriella peeked from behind Sharpay, nodded her head and raised her eyebrows in a convincing gesture.

Troy looked back at Gabriella and then closed his eyes. He knew he was out numbered.

"Fine." he said.

"I'll be right back." Taylor left and went to the nurse's desk to call a doctor for Troy. "Don't go anywhere stinky boy." She said to Chad.

Oh I'll be right here with pookie." Chad stroked Chucky's hair.

Chucky slapped his hand away and the guys all laughed.

"You need to stop being such a superman." Sharpay said to Troy as she rubbed his chest.

Gabriella noticed her touching Troy and felt very uncomfortable. She felt like she was witnessing something he didn't want her to.

"Troy the doctor said you can go to curtain four and he'll be there to check you." Taylor told him.

"Do you need to me to go in with you Troy?" Sharpay asked.

"You might need help getting your shirt off." She added like she was his mother.

Gabriella's mouth dropped and she looked at Taylor.

Taylor shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Um no Shar. I'll be fine." Troy realized what Sharpay said sounded totally wrong and didn't want Gabriella to think the wrong thing.

"O.k. then." Sharpay walked over to Chucky and proceeded to caress his cheeks and fluff his pillow.

Chucky smiled and winced at the same time since what Sharpay was doing was not helping his pain at all.

Gabriella could not for the life of her figure this chick out. She wondered if her and Troy had a history and maybe it wasn't over yet, but yet she was all over Chucky.

Troy secretly took Gabriella's hand and tugged at her so she would follow him.

When Troy and Gabriella entered the curtained area number four Gabriella pulled the curtain around to enclose the make shift room.

"Hi there." the doctor said as he walked in right behind them.

"Where is the pain?" he asked.

"My right shoulder is a little sore." Troy said. "I really don't think it's anything."

"Well we will take a quick look." The doctor looked down at his pager.

"O.k. I need to go check on a situation real quick. Take your shirt off and I'll be right back." The doctor left Troy and Gabriella alone and rushed down the hall.

Gabriella closed the curtain again and turned towards Troy.

Troy attempted to take his shirt off, but struggled as he lifted his right arm.

"Here, let me help you." Gabriella said as she walked closer to Troy as he sat on the bed.

Gabriella positioned herself between Troy's legs that were dangling over the side of the bed and grabbed the bottom fabric of his navy blue fire department t-shirt. As she stared into his deep blue eyes she slowly lifted the soft cotton shirt up exposing his abs. Gabriella's eyes never left Troy's gaze.

Troy maneuvered his left arm out of the shirt and lifted his right arm as far as his shoulder would allow him.

Gabriella continued to pull the shirt over Troy's chest and over his head. Troy took the shirt with his left hand and pulled it up and off his body and tossed it on the floor.

Gabriella's hands caressed Troy's ears, moved gently down his jaw line and continued down his neck to his shoulders.

Troy then realized he was holding his breath, but when Gabriella touched his shoulder he winced with pain and gasped.

"Sorry." Gabriella whispered as she looked down and took in the amazing sight of Troy's upper torso. His square chest muscles were rock hard sitting perfectly above his amazing abs.

"It's fine." Troy said as he took Gabriella's hand and placed it on his right pectoral muscle. And held it there for a few seconds.

Gabriella took in a deep breath and gently felt his hard muscle underneath her touch.

"I can feel your heart pounding." She said softly as she looked back up into his eyes.

Troy slowly nodded and his breath stuttered under the pressure of her hand. He leaned his upper body closer to Gabriella.

"It seems to pound faster and harder when you're around." Troy said as he reached his left hand around Gabriella's neck and gently pulled her in kissing her soft pink lips.

Gabriella gave in to his advance and met his lips with her mouth slightly open. Her hands caressed his chest and slowly moved down to his abs. She could feel the outline of his six pack. One row at a time she slowly traced the outline of each muscle. His stomach felt hard and his skin warm under her fingers.

Troy's tongue met with Gabriella's and licked the tip playfully. He then closed his mouth softly sucked her top lip.

Gabriella let out a soft moan and tipped her head at an angle inviting Troy to explore her neck.

Troy's breath felt hot on her earlobe and sent shivers throughout Gabriella's body. She could feel her nipples harden and her mound swell and moisten.

Troy continued to lick and kiss Gabriella behind her ear. He could tell by her reaction and breathing this was a sweet spot for her. He smiled and continued to taste her mocha skin.

Gabriella ran her hands up Troy's toned back and slightly dug her fingers into his flesh as she panted. And threw her head back.

Troy's hands were at Gabriella's sides under her arms. He held her body as he played with her sweet smelling neck. His thumbs ventured over her shirt and grazed over her hardened nipples.

His touch sent Gabriella's head into a spin. She took his head and straightened it to meet hers. Then she crashed her lips harder onto his, pushing her tongue into his waiting mouth. She wanted to capture all of him at that very moment.

Troy pulled Gabriella closer to him. She could feel the hardness in his pants pressing on her stomach.

Troy let out a low groan as he cupped Gabriella's ass and continued to press her into him.

Gabriella wrapped her arms around Troy's shoulders and squeezed him as her mouth continued to dominate over his.

"Ahhhh." Troy moaned.

"I know." Gabriella replied as she continued to hug Troy's hot and hard body.

"No babe. You're hurting me." Troy said as he smiled and slowly released himself from Gabriella's grasp.

"Oh my god. I am so sorry." Gabriella apologized and suddenly realized she was panting and sweaty.

"It's o.k." Troy laughed at Gabriella.

"Don't laugh at me. I'm usually not that aggressive. I don't know what got into me." Gabriella felt slightly embarrassed and stepped back away from Troy.

"Awe come on, you're so cute when you're flustered." Troy said as he grabbed Gabriella by the top front of her pants and pulled her back to him.

"Hey there. Sorry I took so long." The doctor said as he came back through the curtain and grabbed Troy's chart.

Troy looked at Gabriella and smiled.

"No it was fine. We didn't mind waiting." Troy winked at Gabriella as she tucked her hair behind her ears and sat down in the chair across from the bed.

After the doctor checked Troy's shoulder, he had some x-rays taken and Troy was told he had a pulled muscle and he just needed to rest and ice his shoulder for at least a week.

"Well now that I know you are going to live. I am going to see how my father is doing." Gabriella said as she helped Troy put his shirt back on.

"O.k., but will you be able to come over and be my private nurse?" Troy joked with Gabriella as he jumped off the table and grabbed her to kiss her desirable lips again.

"Of course." Gabriella said in between their soft lust filled pecks.

"I want to make sure my father is resting comfortably."

"O.k. Cool." Troy walked Gabriella out from the curtained room and to the elevator.

"I was really scared for you Troy." Gabriella held Troy's hand and confessed.

"That fire was scary."

"All in a days work sweetheart." Troy rubbed Gabriella's back but could see she was concerned.

"I'm fine Gabs. Everything is fine." Troy leaned down and kissed Gabriella on the forehead.

"O.k. I'll call you later." Gabriella said and walked into the elevator.

"Tell your father I can't wait to meet him." Troy said as he reached into the elevator and pressed the number to the cardiac floor.

Gabriella smiled and waved goodbye as the elevator doors slowly closed.

Ok…ok.. I know we haven't really seen fireman Troy in action yet, but it's coming!! LoL!

Please comment—thanks 


	6. Chapter 6

**Flashover**

Chapter 6

Thank you JB and Rach!!

After Gabriella went to be with her father, Troy walked back into the emergency area to tell Chad and the crew he was leaving.

"Hey guys, I'm out. Hope you feel better Chuck." Troy said as he tapped knuckles with Chucky.

"Are you sure you're ok Troy?" Sharpay asked as she took her attention off of Chucky and redirected it to Troy.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He answered. "I'm just going to go home and rest."

"With your own private nurse I bet." Taylor said under her breath.

Troy looked in her direction and caught her eye as she looked away. Taylor cocked her head and she smirked back at him.

"What did you say Taylor?" Sharpay asked.

"Nothing." Troy immediately responded. "She was just coughing."

"Coughing?" Sharpay looked very confused.

"Come over here Sharpay." Chucky called out. "I need my head rubbed."

Sharpay quickly ran over to Chucky and started to carefully rub his temples.

"Not that head." Chad said as he laughed out loud.

Everyone in the room except Sharpay joined in the laughter.

"You know Chad." Sharpay started in on him. "You only think with that particular head don't you?"

"Ummm, yeah I usually do. What's the big deal?" Chad said in a cocky response.

"Well it wouldn't be a big deal if it wasn't so small."

"Ooooooo." Troy and Chucky laughed.

Chad rolled his eyes and motioned to Taylor to leave.

"Let's go babe." He said as he put his arm around her shoulders.

"You sure you don't need anything Troy?" Taylor asked.

"No. I'm good." Troy smiled at Taylor and winked. He could tell she knew he would be in good hands.

Chad and Taylor went to grab her purse and keys from her locker as Troy walked the other way to the parking lot.

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Gabriella quietly walked into her father's room and sat down in the chair next to his bed. She realized the television was still on and turned it off.

"Gabby?"

Gabriella turned to her father.

"Yes daddy. I'm right here." She took his hand in hers and whispered to him.

"You're going to be fine daddy."

"What happened?" he asked in a raspy tired voice.

"You had a heart attack daddy." Gabriella started to cry as she explained to her father what he had gone through.

"I'm sorry baby." He said.

"No daddy. I am sorry." Gabriella said.

"I caused this. I shouldn't have said the things I said."

"No. No baby. Don't you dare blame yourself. Everything you said is true." Mr. Montez tried to sit up.

"Lay down daddy. You still need your rest."

"You are my world now Gabby. I need to listen to you. I promise when I get out of here we will honor your mother's last wish."

"Thank you daddy." Gabriella caressed his forehead.

"You know, while I was sleeping, I felt like your mother was holding my hand the whole time." Mr. Montez said.

Gabriella smiled. "That was me daddy. I couldn't leave your side."

"No. It was your mother sweetheart. And she told me to pay close attention to you because you are growing up so fast."

Gabriella sat and listened to her father.

"I really felt she was with me Gabs. Making sure I got through this."

Gabriella smiled and nodded.

"She has always been the strong one in our relationship. You remind me a lot of her."

"You always tell me that daddy." Gabriella laughed.

Mr. Montez laughed too.

"I know I do. My sweet little girl." Mr. Montez placed his fragile hand on Gabriella's cheek.

"Get your rest daddy. You need to get stronger so we can get out of here."

"O.k. sweetheart I will. I feel better already. You should go home and get proper rest yourself."

"I'm fine daddy."

"No. I insist. Go sleep in a comfortable bed instead of that lousy chair." Mr. Montez instructed.

"I'll go home tonight, but I will be here tomorrow first thing in the morning."

"I think I'll go check on a friend first." Gabriella said.

"A friend?" Mr. Montez asked.

"Yeah, he actually was one of the paramedics that helped you."

"He?" Mr. Montez raised an eyebrow towards Gabriella.

Gabriella smiled. "Yes daddy. A "he". His name is Troy and he is quite the charmer. You will like him."

"Well if he had any part in making sure I didn't leave you sooner than expected, he's worth a chance."

"Yeah daddy he seems to be a pretty amazing guy. I will bring him in to visit you when you feel better. I don't think they allow anyone but family in this section of the hospital."

"That's fine hun. I look forward to meeting your friend. Go have fun and I'll see you in the morning." Mr. Montez's eyes slowly closed as he patted Gabriella's hand.

"Good night daddy." Gabriella softly kissed him on his forehead and covered him with his blankets.

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Troy pulled into his parking stall at his condo and struggled to get out of his car.

"You need help?" a woman's voice asked.

Troy looked up to see Christi leaning against her car two stalls over. She had her arms crossed and was smoking a cigarette.

"No. I'm fine. What are you doing here?" Troy winced as he stood up and shut his car door.

"I needed to talk to you." Christi responded as she flicked her cigarette on the ground and stepped on it.

"About what?" Troy started to walk towards the stairs up to his condo, but in order to do that he had to walk by Christi.

"Us." Christi said.

Troy laughed. "I'm sorry. Did you say us?" Troy laughed again.

"Yeah what's so funny?"

"Well there is no "US" Christi. You are with Dylan now. Did you forget?"

"Yeah well, he is too immature for me." Christi said as she flicked her hand in the air. "But good in bed I might add."

Christi took a few steps toward Troy.

"Don't you miss me Troy?"

"Honestly? No. I don't."

"Oh Come on. You know you do." Christi walked up to Troy and placed her hands on his crotch.

"You can't honestly tell me that you don't miss my amazing blow jobs can you?" Christi asked as she gently squeezed Troy's balls.

Troy took in a deep breath and looked straight ahead.

"I can honestly say I don't Christi and my hand does a better job, thank you." Troy removed Christi's hold on him and he walked by her and straight up the stairs.

"You know you want me Bolton!" Christi yelled up to him as he turned the corner at the second floor.

Troy entered his condo as fast as he could and headed to the sink to splash some cold water on his face.

He cannot understand why Christi still has such a hold on his hormones. He could not stand the bitch, but she was really good in bed and he never forgot that.

After calming his testosterone levels Troy opened up the fridge and grabbed a cold bottle of beer and sat on the couch to watch some TV.

About half way into the Lakers game, his cell phone vibrated with a text message.

"_What is ur strt. #?"_

Troy's heart immediately began to race when he saw that the text was from Gabriella.

Troy texted back.

"_234 Larkin Strt. Bldg. 14 2__nd__ flr.."_

Gabriella responded a few seconds later.

"_K. B there in a few."_

Troy felt like a little schoolboy. His heart was racing, his palms were sweaty and he started to run around the condo picking up the clothes that were lying around and straightening the rooms as best he could. He even dug out a pillar candle and lit it to make the place smell decent.

Within fifteen minutes he heard the buzzer from downstairs.

"Who is it?" he asked through the intercom.

"Ummm a singing telegram." Gabriella disguised her voice.

Troy laughed as he buzzed the door open and waited for her to come up the steps.

As Troy stood leaning in the doorway he watched as Gabriella came up the stairs. As she turned the corner and started to walk towards him he began to feel weak in the knees. Her smile made him feel warmth in places that hadn't been attended to in a while.

"Hey there." Gabriella said as she walked up to him.

"Hey there yourself." Troy smiled as he stared at Gabriella..

"So when are you going to start singing?" he asked as he blocked the doorway.

Gabriella laughed.

"No entry into the Bolton love lair until I hear a song." Troy stood in place like a bouncer at a nightclub and smiled a daring smile at Gabriella.

Gabriella bit her bottom lip and tilted her head to the side in a flirtatious manner.

"Fine. Be that way." She said as she cleared her throat.

"_Hooooohaoooo, You are fine, you are sweet, but I'm still a bit naïve with my heart,"_

Gabriella started to sing as she stared straight in Troy's eyes.

"_When you're close I don't breath, I can't find the words to speak. I feel sparks."_

Troy was mesmerized by Gabriella's incredibly sweet voice. He started to have trouble swallowing again and couldn't take his eyes off of her mouth. He watched her every move as she formed the perfect words to the perfect song.

"_But I don't want to be into you if you're not lookin for true looove."_

As Gabriella continued to sing she walked closer to Troy and put her hands on his chest. She could feel his breathing increase with her touch and his heart start to race. She loved the effect she was having on him.

"_I don't want to start seeing you if I can't be you're only one."_

Before Gabriella could continue singing Troy pulled her to his waiting lips and kissed her.

Gabriella wrapped her hands around his neck and responded to every move of Troy's lips and tongue

"Think we should move this inside, Ms. Montez?" Troy asked as he stopped kissing her for a brief moment.

Gabriella backed away from Troy's hold.

"So I passed the entry test?" Gabriella smiled as she walked into Troy's condo.

A comforting and relaxing feeling washed over her as she took in her surroundings. The condo was painted in a soft light brown with muslin color trim that matched the dark brown leather sofa sitting across a tumble rock fireplace. A large flat screen television was mounted above the mantle with a Lakers game playing.

A click from the door made Gabriella turn around to see Troy walk towards her. "I see I interrupted your game time, maybe I should go," Gabriella takes two steps towards the door when she feels two arms wrap around her stomach to swing her around.

"Just checking the score. Troy said. " I would rather watch you then some sweaty men shooting an orange ball through a net anyway." Troy reached around Gabriella's waist and turned her around to face him.

He gently kissed Gabriella's forehead. They both felt what seemed like electrical circuits shoot through their bodies as they molded into each other. Troy felt Gabriella's soft body relax in his arms. He knew that she had been very stressed lately with all she has been through with her father and her mother's death.

As Troy held Gabriella he heard a low rumble come from her body. Gabriella put her hand to her mouth and giggled.

'Sweetheart, are you showing me your wild side?

Pushing him away, "No silly, that was my stomach, I'm hungry."

"Well let's see what I can do about that." Troy gave her a quick peck on her lips and headed to the kitchen.

Gabriella took her coat off and removed her Ugg boots before she followed Troy. To see what he was up to.

She entered the small but quaint galley kitchen and peeked over his shoulder.

"Hmmmm, that looks delicious." She said watching Troy pour a bagged spinach salad in a bowl with some hard-boiled eggs and walnuts.

"I hope its ok. I don't have much in the way of food here. I'm usually at the firehouse."

"No that looks wonderful. Can I help?" Gabriella opened up the refrigerator and took out the raspberry vinaigrette from the side of the door.

"Sure." Troy stepped to the side and let Gabriella pour the dressing in the salad and continue to mix the greens up.

"What would you like to drink?" Troy asked.

"I would like some sparkling pink lemonade on ice please with a lemon wedge on the side." Gabriella jokingly answered as she proceeded to place a generous amount of salad on the two plates Troy had set on the counter.

"Ummmm yeah well, how does cranberry juice sound?" Troy smiled.

"Hahahaha! That's fine." Gabriella laughed.

During their lunch Gabriella told Troy all about how she was to start her new job the following week and that she was excited but nervous at the same time. Teaching second grade was fun, but the children seem to smell fear at that age and she didn't want to start off on the wrong foot.

"I'm sure you'll do fine." Troy convinced her. "If they give you hard times just send them to detention."

"It's grade school Troy, not military school." Gabriella laughed.

As Troy shrugged his shoulders he realized the ibuprofen he took a while ago was wearing off.

Gabriella noticed his painful expression and got up to clear the plates from the table.

"Oh my gosh, I should be taking care of you." She said as she put the dishes in the sink and walked over to Troy.

"You are." Troy said as he pushed out his chair and pulled Gabriella on his lap.

Gabriella leaned down and softly kissed Troy's waiting lips. Her body seemed to melt in his lap.

Troy slid his tongue into Gabriella's mouth and teased her tongue with his. As he fought the pain he was feeling in his shoulder he gently placed his hand on Gabriella's breast and grazed her hard nipple with his thumb. His hand then slowly found its way on her thigh.

Gabriella felt his touch and wanted more. She stood up just enough to swing her leg around Troy's waist and straddle him. Her lips never leaving his.

Troy slid down in the chair slightly so he could hold onto Gabriella's ass and maneuver his hips so his hardening cock rubbed against her mound. Troy's breathing was quickening and he needed to take a breath, as he did he sucked Gabriella's neck and moved slowly down to her plump breasts.

Gabriella could feel the wetness between her legs and her mound swell with desire as she swayed her hips against Troy. As Troy sucked her nipples through her shirt she closed her eyes, gasped and saw sparks. The heat was rising within her and she couldn't control it.

Troy grabbed Gabriella's waist and as she wrapped her legs around his waist he stood up and lifted her.

"Let's go in the bedroom." Troy whispered in Gabriella's ear.

Gabriella opened her eyes and realized the position she was in. She quickly jumped down from Troy's waist.

"Ahhhh." Troy grabbed his shoulder.

"Oh my God. I am sorry." Gabriella held her hands to her mouth. She was apologizing for his pain and her behavior. What got into me, she thought.

"It's ok. What's wrong?" Troy asked as he rubbed his shoulder and walked to the couch.

"Nothing. I just don't want to rush into anything." Gabriella walked over to get her coat.

"I feel horrible. I am so sorry. Lunch was great. Ummm can I help with anything before I go?" Gabriella was flustered.

"Go? Where are you going?" Troy asked.

"I should leave. I totally was out of line."

"Gabby. Come here." Troy held his hand out and took Gabriella's coat from her hands.

"You are not going anywhere except right here next to me. I'm sorry too."

"I don't know Troy we just met and you have been great, but I don't want to make any mistakes."

"Just stay. Please. Stay and take care of me." Troy said as he smiled and held his hands in the air. "I won't touch you again."

Gabriella smiled. "Well let's not get silly. You do give the best hugs."

"So you'll stay?" Troy looked at Gabriella with his puppy dogface and grabbed her hand to guide her to the couch next to him.

"O.k. I'll stay."

Troy smiled and gave Gabriella a hug.

"Want to watch a movie?" he asked.

"Sure, let me get you some more medicine first."

"O.k. what do you want to watch?"

"I saw on the cable listing a movie called Hairspray is on at 6." Gabriella suggested.

"Nahhh, I heard the chick in that is annoying. Let's watch Thirteen." Troy answered.

"That's fine. I'll need to snuggle with you though." Gabriella shouted from the kitchen as she poured Troy a glass of water.

"That's the plan." Troy smiled and turned the movie on.

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Sorry it took so long to update peeps---please review.


	7. Chapter 7

**Flashover**

**Chapter 7**

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**_Thanks JB for everything!! _**

Gabriella woke up to the warm touch of the sun shining on her face. Her body felt so comfortable and secure in Troy's arms. She smiled as she remembered the previous evening's activities. She reminisced about them snuggling on the couch while watching a movie, laughing as they attempted to toss popcorn in each other's mouths, and then softly kissing each other goodnight as they laid in bed staring at each other. It was perfect she thought. Troy was perfect.

As Gabriella tried to squirm her way gently out from Troy's arms he awoke.

"Hey there, where do you think you're going?" he asked as he pulled her back in his arms.

Gabriella laughed.

"I need to go see my father. I won't be long."

"Hmmmmm." Troy grumbled and made a pout face.

"Oh stop. I will check on him and go home for a shower and change of clothes and come back if you want me too." Gabriella offered.

"Well, you can shower here if you like." Troy smirked.

"Yeah. O.k." Gabriella answered sarcastically.

Troy laughed and let Gabriella loose.

"Well, I don't plan on going anywhere, so come back to your other patient as soon as you can."

"I will. I promise." Gabriella caressed Troy's wispy hair and kissed him softly on the forehead.

"That's all I get?" Troy asked as he wrapped his hand around Gabriella's neck and pulled her down as he kissed her soft lips.

Gabriella's mouth met his with her lips parted and as she kissed him back the way he asked and the way she wanted.

Gabriella's body melted into Troy's chest and a tremendous feeling of warmth and dare she say love filled all her senses.

"Thanks for staying last night." Troy whispered as he completed his tender kiss.

"Anytime."

Troy gazed into Gabriella's eyes. They made him feel more complete than he could ever have imagined. He didn't know what it was, but this amazing woman was doing things to him and creating feelings inside him that he has never felt before. He didn't want to let her go.

"I'll call you later." Gabriella said as she took his hand away from her cheek and kissed him once more on his lips.

"O.k." Troy attempted to sit up, but his shoulder pain stopped him.

"No, no, no. You stay here. I know my way out." Gabriella said, then walked in the bathroom and came back with some pain pills and a glass of water.

"Here, take these now and get some rest." She handed him the medicine and glass.

"Rest up for what? Do I have some certain activities to look forward to later?" Troy asked as he raised one eyebrow at Gabriella.

"Take your pills Mr. Bolton!" Gabriella scolded and laughed as well.

After Troy swallowed his medicine, Gabriella took the glass back to the bathroom and stood by the bedroom door.

"I will put on a pot of coffee before I leave. Do you want some breakfast?"

"No thanks. I will get myself some cereal later. I think I'll sleep some more. This medicine seems to make me groggy."

"Alright, well I will check on you later. Bye Troy."

"Bye Gabby." Troy winked at Gabriella as she blew him a kiss.

After making a fresh pot of coffee and setting out a mug for Troy, Gabriella grabbed her phone, coat and keys and quietly let herself out of the condo.

Gabriella was surprised when she looked up from closing the door to see a tall red haired woman standing right in front of her.

"Oh, hi." She said. "You startled me." Gabriella was just being polite, having no idea who the woman was.

"Yeah, so how do you know Troy?" the woman asked.

Gabriella was taken back by this comment and was confused who the hell this woman was and how did she know Troy?

"He's a friend." She replied.

"Humph, a friend huh?" the woman put one hand on her hips and flicked her hair off her shoulders with the other.

"May I ask how you know him? Do you live in this building?" Gabriella inquired.

"Would I have this if I didn't?" the woman took out a key from her purse and reached forward entering it into the lock slot of Troy's condo door.

Gabriella's face must have said it all to the woman. Her mouth was wide open and eyes wide staring at her.

"Friend, you say?" the woman said as she proceeded to open the door. "I think booty call is more like it."

The woman opened the door fully and continued to let herself in shutting the door behind her leaving Gabriella confused and angry.

"What the hell?" Gabriella was shocked and had no idea what to think. Her heart was racing and she felt like her blood pressure was going to make her body explode.

"Should I go back?" she pondered to herself.

Gabriella was torn, she hated Troy at the moment, although didn't want to. She decided to just go see her father and question him about it later.

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After Christi let herself in the condo, she poured herself a cup of coffee and walked into Troy's bedroom.

She leaned in the doorway to his room and just watched him sleep. His chiseled chest rose and fell with each deep breath he took. He was like a Greek God lying before her.

Troy subconsciously felt eyes on him and opened woke up suddenly. He sat up in bad as soon as he saw Christi staring at him and smiling.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" Troy asked as he struggled to get up and put a shirt on.

"How did you get in?"

Christi laughed.

"A key silly." She responded in a tone like Troy was some idiot.

"What key? I took your keys from you?" Troy said as he walked past Christi and out into the living room.

"You don't think I had copies made. I'm not stupid."

"No, but you're crazy." Troy said.

"Crazy for you Troy." Christi said as she walked forward pinning Troy against a/the book shelf.

"Christi, get off me" Troy tried to get free, but his shoulder felt incredibly tight and he had no strength in his arm.

"Christi maneuvered her hands up the front of Troy's shirt feeling his rock hard abs and started to kiss and nibble at his neck.

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Gabriella got halfway down the back stairs as she went to check her watch for the time she realized she left it up in Troy's place.

She tried to decide if she should go get it or not. Then she thought it was a good excuse to see who that bitch was. But did she want to know. Maybe he is a player. But Gabriella didn't want to believe that. The way he made her feel was so hard to explain.

She did want her watch back though. Her Mother had given it to her and she felt incomplete without it on. That was the deciding factor that made Gabriella go back up stairs.

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Gabriella knocked a few times on the door, but no one answered. She turned the knob and noticed the door was unlocked. She slowly turned the knob and opened the door.

Gabriella's heart sank to the bottom of her stomach at the sight before her. She immediately felt nauseous.

The sight of Christi's one hand pulling off Troy's shirt while the other groped his crotch was too much. The wince look on Troy's face seemed to her that was enjoyed her advances.

"Oh my God." Gabriella grabbed her mouth as she seriously wanted to throw up.

Troy's eyes shot wide open and he found the strength to push Christi off of him.

"Gabriella! It's not what it…"

"Save it Troy." Gabriella grabbed her watch from the coffee table and as fast as she could turn around and ran out the door.

Troy tried to follow her, but the pain was too much. The damn pain pills hadn't kicked in yet.

"Let the little girl go Troy. You need a woman." Christi said as she wrapped her hands around Troy's waist and tried to kiss him again.

"Christi! Get the fuck out of here!" Troy yelled and pushed her off of him.

"Hahahaha." Christi just laughed.

"You are fucked up, you know that?" Troy yelled. "Get out!"

Troy grabbed Christi's elbow and guided her to the door.

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Tears started to stream down Gabriella's face and they burned through her skin. She raced down the stairs and felt like she couldn't breathe. As she turned finally hit the garage level and turned the corner she ran right into a strong figure.

"Whoa there speed racer." The familiar deep voice consoled.

Gabriella looked up and her eyes went straight to the oddly familiar ocean blues that were just like Troy's eyes.

"You alright?" the man asked while holding Gabriella's arm.

Gabriella couldn't catch her breath at first, but then answered.

"Yeah I'm fine." She replied as she wiped her wet cheek.

"Is the building on fire?" the man asked.

"No." Gabriella sniffled.

"Good I thought I was going to have to go save my bro."

Gabriella looked at the guy and quickly surmised he was Troy's brother. Of course. He looks so much like him, but with lighter and wavier hair.

"Are you sure you're ok?" he asked again.

"Yeah I'll be fine. Thanks. Sorry I ran into you."

"It's ok."

Gabriella turned and walked to her car taking a couple of deep breaths to try and calm down. She needed to get the hell out of there.

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Christi came down the stairs and met Dylan at the bottom.

She smiled at him as she sauntered over and kissed him forcefully on his mouth.

"So did you get some money?" Dylan asked.

"No, but I pleased myself in other ways." Christi said as she walked past Dylan and to his car.

"Well what are we going to do about the money?" Dylan yelled at her.

"We'll figure something out. Let's get out of here." Christi said as she hopped in the driver's seat and started the car.

Dylan got in the car and they sped off squealing the tires in the process.

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